My transition to Hearts is a subtle one. Because the tempo of Spades and Hearts is similar, I am creating variety in other ways. Spades ends in F minor and Hearts begins immediately on a low, sustained E. A pyramid follows the sustained E bringing in the next three higher instruments each time a perfect 5th higher. The entrances occur every beat and a half therefore disguising the basic pulse. The euphoniums enter at measure 45 with a triplet on the third beat, thus created variety from the predominantly duple feel of Spades. The meter patterns change often in this section as well as the use of divisions of 2, 3 & 4. Thus the music flows along without a clear sense of pulse creating a dreamy, romantic mood.
The harmony in this section is rich and frequently modulating. When I create harmony, I often do not have chord progressions in mind. My harmony is a result of linear movement of the lines. I am aware of what is happening vertically, but my concentration is on creating an interesting sounding line. After creating the melodic line, I might work on a bass line first, then fill in the inner parts. Or in the case of the three euphoniums at measure 45, I work the 2nd & 3rd part together, seeing where they want to go. I do have some favorite structures that result: minor triads and 7th chords, chords in fourths and chords in fifths, but I don't limit myself to those structures. I also tend to use chords borrowed from other tonalities and modalities.
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Dr. B
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